Dear Families,
I hope you all had a good holiday break, full of fun and long lasting memories with each other! Now we have four full weeks in a row before the next holiday break (except December 23 is a no-class day). That being said, we have a lot to do before second quarter is over. Now is a good time to refocus on any goals we set at conferences, whether it be about multiplication practice or MathWhizz at home, or making full use of work sessions at school…now is the time progress can really be showcased! Last week we had a great time with the salabration! We ended up having probably 40 people in our classroom at once between students and family members! Some students expressed interest in doing something similar again. Thus, here is our first notice that we will be having an end of quarter pot-luck on December 22, during recess and lunch, to celebrate each other’s company (from 12:15-1:10). All family members are again invited to join us! This will probably coincide with another read in that day. More detail to follow. Our next field trip, to the courthouse, is free, though I have not received many permission slips for that yet. For sixth graders, as discussed at conferences, we have a big field trip in April to Kenai Fjords. Upon review of the cover letter of the information packet, I was reminded that tuition for this is due December 9. If full payment is a hardship, PLEASE let me know asap so scholarships can be arranged. This is such an amazing and important experience that through fundraising and donation efforts, every sixth grader gets the chance to go. This week we have a full plate of learning ahead. In language we will begin exploring what a plot is and how to develop it in our writing. We will also be looking at different uses of capital letters in “Skyscrapers”. In science we will continue our study of force, exploring how force is transferred, and perhaps beginning a look at electricity. (Any electricians out there that would like to share their expertise? Computer coding will follow electricity for anyone with experience there!) In math we will continue with our math groups. Sixth years are working with fractions, Fifth years on Order of Operations, and fourth years are moving to quadrilaterals and multiplying using the distributive property. Some students have commitments to MathWhizz which we are doing in class, however if there is internet access at home, it is expected students are working on this at home as well. In cultural studies we will continue reading about immigration with reading partners/group while working on our world maps. I’m looking forward to this week ahead. Please know you can always get a hold of me with any questions, concerns, or celebrations!
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Dear Families,
This is one of my favorite weeks of the year, as we give extra thanks for everything and everyone we have. I am thankful to be part of this community with all of you and to be a guide in the learning of your children. I am thankful for all of your support both in the classroom and at home. I am thankful to see 25 smiling students every week whose future and potential have no limits! To celebrate all we have as a class, we will be having a “Salad-bration” on Wednesday during lunchtime. The salabration will reflect the diversity that is the theme of our Immigration unit, and will mix many unique topping flavors, each of which will contribute to the masterpiece of a chef’s salad. This past Friday students signed up for which topping they may be able to bring. I will be providing the greens for the event. The Salad Bar will be open in the classroom to supplement lunches 12:40-1:10, and all families that can make it are invited to join! Attached is a list of who signed up for what. Part of our Immigration unit will also take us on our next field trip! On December 16 we will be walking to a naturalization ceremony at the U.S. District Courthouse, leaving at 10:15am and returning near 12:45pm. Please find attached the permission form to sign and return. Due to limited space at the event site, only the first 5 forms turned in with ‘yes’ marked for chaperone will be asked to join us for the event. Please read this form carefully as additional important information is included because of the location. Last week the whole class had a special lesson on aggressors, victims, and bystanders, and we recognized together that as a team, there’s no place for this in our classroom and that if it happens they are to tell me or Ms. Dene. We always strive to build and maintain safe and peaceful relationships and communities around us by looking out for individuals and standing up for what is right. I wanted to send a big thank you to the families that donated books at the book fair or items from the “Small Hands” giving tree. I was asked about other items that may enhance Room 223 which compelled me to create a wishlist to assist anyone that may be in a place to provide donations. The web link to the wishlist is on our class website and is as follows: http://amzn.com/sl/31GK6OHG6RBEB. Your ongoing support is amazing. Although we have a short week this week, we will continue into our curriculum, spending a little extra time on science in addition to math lessons, further cultural studies on Immigration, multiplication practice and daily writing prompts. Additionally, we will expand our self-directed reading choices from fiction boxes to include SRA’s and Research Labs. These develop reading comprehension and vocabulary through non-fiction and science readings rather than just fiction. If I don’t see you Wednesday for the salabration, I hope you all have a safe, wonderful, and memorable holiday weekend! Dear Families,
I hope you all had a great Veteran’s Day 3-day weekend! I spent part of the weekend in search of a moose, but to no avail. Now we are back to a full week of school, although I will be absent for training on Friday. I am confident that our class will continue to show kindness and respect to guest teachers in our classroom and throughout the school. This week we will be working through math using both materials as well as GoMath, continuing explorations in multiplication, division, geometry, and now fractions for some. In reading we will truly finish up our study on “character” before beginning our study on “setting”. In science we will begin work in our ASD science kit by exploring the relationship between force, speed, and energy. As always I am calling out for volunteers to share their life experiences and expertise with our class. This week we will have a parent share their personal experience with immigration as part of our cultural studies unit. Your voices are invaluable and powerful agents in the hearts and minds of our children, thank you for all you do! Dear Families,
I wanted to say that last week was awesome and made possible only by the support of you all! We had a successful salmon dissection (the envy of the upstairs) that was educational, safe, and surprisingly not-to-messy. That being said, I hope this summer when you all go fishing, students can point out many of the different anatomical parts of these amazing fish, passing along their knowledge. Last week we also embarked on a field trip to the Performing Arts Center to see The Lighting Thief. Although the production garnished mixed reviews from the class, it provided a unique way to experience the community and further explore literary elements of stories. Through your continued support, we will continue to benefit from such hands on, real life, and relevant lessons. This week’s schedule is a bit less busy while also being a bit shorter. In honor of those who have served our Nation in the armed forces, there is no class on Friday, Veteran’s Day. Thank to you the families in our class and country that have made it all possible, (including the right to vote on Tuesday!). The four school days we do have this week will be used to begin our look at Immigration (19th Century through today), Homonyms (words that sound the same but are spelled different and mean different things), Setting (time and location of a narrative). We will continue our informal read aloud, Made of Salmon: Alaska Stories form The Salmon Project, although this week we will wrap up our science unit on salmon before beginning our STEM unit on energy, electricity & computer science. As a reminder, our class has a website (listed at bottom of this page) where newsletters and homework descriptions are posted just in case a homework packet doesn’t make it home on a Monday. For now, get out your Snow-dance moves… It looks like it’s coming! |